Treatment #2

12-29-08

I completed treatment #2 today…again everything went well! Thank goodness!

Ron accompanied me today. We were able to meet with Dr. Harker before the Chemo. He was glad to hear that my side effects were minimal. I will just have one week off and then have a 3rd treatment on Jan. 12th. He doesn’t have any idea why I continue to burp so much, but as long as it isn’t uncomfortable I don’t mind!

This treatment was shorter only 1 hour. I only had two bags, the first one was the anti-nausea medicine and then the second one was the chemo. I’m not sure which medicine it was, but I am hoping that the side effects will be minimal again!

This afternoon we have enjoyed the Wii Olympics….I set a world record in long jump, but I sink instead of swim. Maybe Michael Phelps will give me some personal lessons.

We enjoyed a great dinner tonight from the Nehmers and Parks! We are so blessed to have such loving friends and family to support us through this trial!!!!

Thanks for your continued love, support, and prayers!! Enjoy the New Year and GO UTAH……(I will be cheering for the Utes this week!)

Snow and Icicles

12-28-09

We continue to enjoy the warmth of being inside next to the fire while the cold winds blow outside. There is about 6 inches of snow on the ground and the icicles on our home are over 4 feet long!!! Our driveway is clear, thanks to help from our home teacher, but our neighborhood street remains snow-packed! Winter in South Jordan!

Our week has been memorable…Chemo, Christmas, and family! Thanks again to everyone who fasted and prayed for us last week, our prayers have been answered! My first treatment has had minimal side effects…loss of appetite for a couple of days, fatigue for a couple of days, and some constipation! I was happy on Christmas since the food tasted good and I had energy!

Ron accompanied me to Chemo on Monday. During the time that we were there he was able to work on his computer and we talked. Tuesday was his last day of school before Christmas vacation, so on Wednesday he enjoyed sleeping in. In fact we also slept in on Christmas morning since we had to wake up the girls around 9:00 A.M., yes we are enjoying this stage of Christmas in our family!

Savanna has had the opportunity of working at the MTC during the break; she was thrilled to work on Christmas Eve since she was paid double! We are glad that we put new tires on Jamie since the drive down to Provo has been snow-packed the last few days! We enjoy having her home and her positive and fun personality! She loved getting some of her pictures from Jerusalem framed for Christmas! Savanna and Marie also loved setting up and playing the Wii on Christmas Day, in fact all of us have sore muscles from the Wii.

Marie has enjoyed sleeping in each morning and spending time with her friends during the holiday. Marie has proven to be the best “boxer” in the family; it seems that she has the ability to knock us out! Her competitive nature is being shown in the Wii, so watch out Heywood boys I would put my money on Marie! Marie went with me for the haircut and to help me pick out a wig. I value her taste of style!

I am grateful that I felt good on Christmas Day, I was afraid that it would be a hard day for me if I was fatigued! I held my own on Wii tennis and bowling, but I am constantly getting knocked out in boxing!!! So if you want an easy win just ask me to box!!! We loved spending Christmas evening with the Davidsons! We are blessed to be part of such a loving and supportive family!

Last night our family celebrated Savanna’s 21st birthday by going out to dinner….it is sad that it took us over a week to schedule a family dinner, we really are busy! After a great dinner at Wingers and some birthday “Asphalt Pie” we returned home and watched HSM and HSM2 on the big screen downstairs. (Marie did leave to go sledding at night with her friends, which made me cold just thinking about it!) It was the first time that Ron had since these movies! It was a fun evening for all of us!

We continue to feel the strength of your prayers and support. Thank you so much!!!! Tomorrow Ron will take me for treatment #2, we have faith that all will go as well as treatment #1. We will also be meeting with Dr. Harker, this will give us a chance to get some more answers of what we will be faced with plus we hope to find out why I am burping so much!!! My brothers would be proud of me!!!! No, I am not talented enough to burp the ABC’s!!!!

Love ya,
Jolene

Christmas Memories

White Christmas

White Christmas!!!

We woke up to a howling wind and snow blowing parallel to the ground, yes it was a cold, white Christmas in South Jordan!

Cleo was the first to wake us up this year; we had to wake up the girls at 9:00 A.M. ,my how things have changed over the years!!! We must have been good girls and boy since Santa found our house! Our family received many gifts, but the highlight had to be the Wii!!! Watching Ron box was a treat for the girls! He really has a mean left jab!!! We enjoyed the warmth of being inside and relaxing during the day.

We headed up to the Davidson’s home for the traditional “Davidson Christmas”! We love spending time with the family and enjoying food, songs, games, and surprises! We missed having Greg’s family join us this year, but a call from Devan does take priority!!! Thanks to Jim and Nelda for hosting this annual event and their generous gifts! Thanks to Linda for organizing the “White Elephant Exchange”!

By the time that we left our car was covered with over 5 inches of snow! This morning we woke to another snow storm, but at least the sun peaks out every now and then! We are planning on relaxing and spending the day inside. Savanna did head down to Provo to feed the missionaries and Marie went to lunch with some friends. Ron and I are looking forward to another relaxing day!

We hope that each of you enjoy being with your family and enjoying Christmas yesterday!

New Look for the Holidays!!!

12-24-08

Thanks to Suzanne for cutting my hair! She did a great job; I am now wondering why I didn’t cut it short sooner! Thanks to Marie for documenting the experience with her camera phone! I plan on enjoying this haircut for a couple of weeks, after that I will move to the wig, hat, and scarf stage of the cancer treatment!!

Today I feel tired, but luckily I can just relax and enjoy Christmas Eve with the family!

Chemo Day

12-22-08

My first round of chemo went well! I was nervous and I kept comparing the experience to childbirth, you just don’t know what to expect! Just give me an epidural and all will be well!!!

The staff at the Utah Cancer Specialist Center is so sympathetic and caring! Ron and I arrived this morning around 8:00 A.M. . A nurse inserted the “special needle” into my port and drew some blood. I didn’t feel a thing!!! Yippy!!!! We then went to a waiting room and met with a PA, Esther, who then explained some more about the chemo and answered any questions. Since everything was fine with my blood work we then started the chemo. I was seated in a comfortable leather chair, given some juice, covered with a warm blanket, and then the nurse hooked up the first IV bag. The first bag was filled with medicine that helps with limiting the nausea, this took about 20 minutes. The second and third IV bags were filled with carboplatin and genizar. These bags took about 30 minutes each. I was comfortable during the entire experience. The boys would have laughed at me as I wheeled my IV bag holder to the bathroom to take a potty break…too much liquid (juice and IV bags)! The hardest part of the treatment was the tape!!!! Again I feel relieved to get this first round over with!!! Now I just hope that the side affects won’t be too severe in the next few days!

Afterwards Ron and I went and got something to eat and did some Christmas shopping. A snowstorm hit while we were out shopping! It really is cold outside!!! When we got home someone had taken the time to shovel our driveway and sidewalks….Thanks to this considerate neighbor!!! Again we are so thankful for the love and support that friends and family continue to give us!!!! Last night we enjoyed a great evening visiting with Greg and Ruth, we also appreciated the blessings that Greg gave to our family! We love each of you and continue to feel the power of your prayers during this trial in our lives!!!

White Christmas

12-21-08

“Baby it’s cold outside!”

It seems that we have been pounded with a series of snow storms lately! We definitely will be enjoying a white Christmas! The mountains are covered and there is about 5 inches of snow on the ground at our home, and the icicles are beginning to grow on the corners or our house. We are enjoying staying bundled up and near the fireplace inside!

It has been another busy week for the family.

Ron gets to go to school for Monday and Tuesday, then his Christmas Vacation will begin. He remained busy last week with a few events at the high school on Monday and Tuesday night. Wednesday was Chemo Class and Thursday was his final. He is glad to have a break from school. Friday evening we enjoyed dinner with his mom and dad and last night we endured seeing BYU lose the football game against Arizona!!! Hard times for the Cougars!

Savanna is also done with finals, so she is welcoming a break. Wednesday we celebrated her 21st birthday; it wasn’t too much fun since she had some finals on that day! Thursday evening she and Spencer were going to go down to see the lights at Temple Square, but since it was so cold they just hung around the house and took Cleo on a walk! Friday evening she celebrated her 21st birthday with some friends by enjoying delicious food at the Cheesecake Factory. Yesterday she went sledding with some friends and then last night she enjoyed “Cousin Night” with the cousins at Steve and Sheree’s home! Today she is feeding the missionaries. Even though she has some down time it seems that her life remains non-stop!


Savanna & Spencer enjoying the "happy glasses" from Kela

Marie is looking forward to sleeping in for the next 2 weeks during Christmas Vacation. She remains busy too. Friday she went sledding with friends and yesterday she had a lacrosse game and then joined the cousins! She is looking forward to spending time with friends during the break.


Ron & Marie with the "happy glasses"!
My week was full of ups and downs….an MRI on my brain, the port placed, Chemo Class, meeting with the radiologist, and getting ready to start Chemo!!! Yes tomorrow my first treatment will start. We are praying that all will go well and I won’t have too many side effects. Our friends and family continue to provide us with great support. We are continually overwhelmed with the love and support that we feel. Our home is filled with a sweet calm spirit. We know that this is a direct result of the prayers and love that are said for us. Right now we don’t need any extra help; just keep us in your prayers and thoughts! We may need additional help in 6 weeks when the treatments get more intense, and we will be sure to call those of you have volunteered to help.

We hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas!!! We love and appreciate everyone!!!

More Changes!!!

12-19-08

Another week of ups and downs….just when we get a plan, the game changes.

Wednesday the doctor called to let me know that the brain MRI came back showing 3 small spots. The largest is only 6 mm large! The doctors aren’t sure if these spots are cancer or not, so the new plan is to only do chemo 4 times during the next 6 weeks and then get another MRI to see if there is any difference in the brain spots! If spots have grown then they are cancer and the doctors will aggressively work on my brain. If the spots remain the same then the doctors will know that they aren’t cancer, but then they will aggressively treat the spot on my lung with radiation and the lymph nodes with chemo. We are hoping and praying that the brain spots are not cancer!

Wednesday evening Ron and I attended Chemo Class. It was a very informative and interesting experience. We were given information on chemotherapy and what to expect. The chemo nurses are so kind and caring; I know that they will help me through this experience on Monday.

Thursday I met with Dr. Avizonis, my radiologist. She and Dr. Harker had been talking about me daily for the past few days, so she was glad to finally see what I look like on the outside! She did a great job explaining my scans to me. It was amazing to see what I look like on the inside. Dr. Avizonis showed me the 3 spots on my brain MRI, it was hard for her to find the spots, and they are that small!!! I am so grateful to have wonderful and knowledgably doctors working hard to help me beat this cancer.

My friends at school continue to be a great support to me!!! We have had fun trying to pick out wigs and haircuts for my new look. Their positive thoughts and actions have really been inspirational to me!!!!

Thanks to everyone for their love, faith, and prayers. We continue to be amazed at the kind thoughts and actions that so many people have shown to me and my family! We truly are blessed!

New Game Plan

Dr. Harker called and left a message with us yesterday, today he called and set up a new more aggressive game plan. I will have an appointment with the radiation doctor on Thursday at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at their location in Murray next to the Intermountain Medical Center. Then on Monday I will begin radiation and chemo….I will have chemotherapy Monday through Friday and then again on Monday then a 3 week break. Then I will go through another cycle of chemo. These chemo treatments will be shorter and last 1-1.5 hours instead of 4 hours.

I will also start radiation on Monday and be doing that Monday through Friday for 5 to 6 weeks. The radiation treatment is short and will last only about 5 minutes. So I will be playing this game for then next 4 months!

I am hoping for the best and I am willing to do whatever needs to be done to get this cancer under control.

We continue to appreciate everyone’s thoughts, love, faith, and prayers!!!!

With the new game plan we won't be able to enjoy the warmth of Arizona!!!

More Tape!!!

12-15-08

Another day at the IMC and more tape!!!

This morning I had a brain MRI, another interesting scan experience. This time I wore a special “Football Helmet” to keep my head stationary as I went through the scanner. This scan is the noisy one where I get to wear ear plugs.



Afterwards I had a Power Port put into the area just below my right collar bone. This will prevent me from being stuck with needles while I am doing chemo. It was a smooth routine and didn’t hurt at all, tomorrow I might be thinking differently. I am excited to have IV’s and other needles done through this port instead of my arms. Ron says my arms are looking like I am a drug user because there are so many needle marks.


I arrived home to beautiful flowers from my friends at Skyline and thoughtful gifts from our friends at Heartland. The Tracey’s stopped by tonight and brought us some treats and some frozen pot pies that we can use on nights when I don’t feel like cooking. Carrie Ann Jensen also brought by some frozen enchiladas for us! Last night the Powells brought me some books and yarn so that I can knit while I am doing chemo! I continue to receive thoughtful cards, emails, and phone calls. We feel so loved during this trial! Thank you for all your prayers and support!!!!

The Grinch!

12-14-08

We are no longer dreaming of a “White Christmas”! Yesterday it snowed the entire day, a perfect setting for our ward Christmas Party. This year the activities committee did “The Grinch”. Everyone was encouraged to come to the party as “Who’s” so we were very impressed with the creativity that was displayed. The delicious menu included “roast beast” and decorated cakes. The highlight was the production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, I’m sure that you can guess who played the Grinch!!!! It was a fun-filled evening!



Another busy week has passed…. Ron had an all-day interview with Jordan School District on Monday. There were over 100 applicants for 3 openings this coming school year. Ron did his best, but was not selected! Yes, he was disappointed, but this may be a blessing for us. He will continue to interview for intern administrative positions. Ron will have his final on Thursday and then enjoy a break from his college classes until the middle of January. He is enjoying being back on track and is teaching his kids Christmas songs on the recorder for their upcoming Christmas Sing-a-long.

Notice that the Grinch represents Utah and his dog Max represented BYU

Savanna finished her classes last week and will be faced with her finals this week. She has 3 finals on her birthday!!! Bummer!!! Next week at this time she will be done!!! During the Christmas Break she will learn which school she will be placed at for her student teaching. Social events continue to keep Savanna busy….a bridal shower for a former roommate, the Ward Christmas Party with Spencer, a get together with her friends from Jerusalem, etc…. She is going to see if she can work on Saturdays at the MTC, which would be an ideal job for her while she is student teaching. Savanna would also like to work at the MTC on Christmas Day during lunch. She enjoyed doing that last year!




Marie’s week has been non-stop too….Monday afternoon was the Lacrosse Christmas Party including a visit from Santa. Wednesday she was involved with the youth’s Sub for Santa Service Project. Thursday she went with Mark and his parents to the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concert. Friday she attended a Bingham Debate Tournament. Saturday morning she took the ACT and last night she attended the Sub for Santa Dance with Carl!!! That is why she is enjoying a nap this afternoon!!!


My week was filled with more ups and downs concerning my lung cancer. Friday Ron and I met with Dr. Harker and go the game plan. Yes, it is frightening to face the facts, but we remain calm and continue to feel the love and support of so many family and friends! Friday afternoon Ron’s family came over and gave us blessings. This was a wonderful experience! We feel strengthened through the power of priesthood blessings! Friday night I went with Ron to the Bingham vs. Jordan Centennial Basketball Game. High school basketball is filled with such emotion!!! During half-time the school honored former players and coaches; I really enjoyed seeing some of the former players that were there from the 1930’s!!! There have been many fun community events honoring the 100th birthday of Bingham High School! Saturday night Savanna, Spencer, and I cheered on the Grinch as he took part in the ward party! It was a fun night!

Thank you again for all your love, prayers, and support for our family during this trying time in our lives! It seems that trials force us to realize the blessings that we have and they also help us to focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

The Games Begin.....

Dec. 12, 2008

Game Plan…finally we have received the “game plan”.

I have been diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and will begin my first round of chemotherapy next Friday, Dec. 19th. It is a relief to finally know what I will be facing. Right now the plan is that I will go through 3 rounds of chemo with a treatment once every 3 weeks. After that the doctor will reevaluate how effective the chemo is and then I will start a weekly round of radiation that will concentrate on getting rid of the cancer in my lung. The doctor feels that I shouldn’t have any severe side effects except I will lose my hair. So I will be getting my hair cut short soon, then I will be sporting a fashionable wig!!! I’ve always wanted to have short hair, so now it will finally be my chance since Ron can’t object!

Next Monday I will have an MRI to make sure that there is no cancer in my brain and I will also have a port installed so that I won’t have to be “stuck” constantly with needles for my treatments. On Wednesday Ron and I will go to “Chemo Class” to learn the finer details about chemotherapy. Friday the game begins…my first round of chemo. This first treatment will last between 5-6 hours, after that the treatments will only be 3-4 hours. I plan on taking up either knitting or crocheting and of course I will use some of the time to read! I am looking forward to having less visits to the hospital, it seems that I have been there too much lately! My treatments will be taking place at the Utah Cancer Specialist Building that is just down the street from my school.

I continue to feel calm through this whole ordeal, I’m sure that this is a direct result of everyone’s thoughts and prayers. Thanks!!!!
Now l just need to decide on a cut, short haircut! I’m sure that my girls will be helpful!

Game Ball & Cranes

The football team, coaches, and Skyline teachers presented me with "the game ball" yesterday...it was wonderful to receive this football that was signed by all the Skyline football players and teachers! What a heartwarming gesture!!!

On Wednesday the Japanese class presented me with 101 origami paper cranes. They read a letter explaining the tradition of Sadako and the 1000 paper cranes. Japanese people commonly give paper cranes as a symbol of their affection and wishes for a long life and good fortune. These students were so generous with their time to make this beautiful artwork for me. Ron has hung this in our bedroom to remind me of their kind thoughts and wishes.

I truly feel the love and concern that people are sharing with me and my family

Scan Rides

I have finally arrived home after my ride in the CT and MRI Scanners....the ride in the CT was the best, it only lasted about 5 minutes, but when the "magic fluid" went through my system everything "warmed up". It was a bizarre sensation, I could feel the fluid going through my body, and when it hit my bladder there was a warm sensation, (luckily nothing leaked out!)

The MRI was loud and longer, it took about 25 minutes. I wore ear plugs since the magnets make a loud sound similar to the one that you hear when they do the "emergency alert" on TV. This was more comfortable than the PET scan since I was laying on my stomach. I laid on an apparatus where there was a cushioned frame for my head , and then my breasts were "suspended" through two opening....it was pretty comfortable. It didn't hurt as much to have my arms suspended over my head, but the noise was obnoxious.

Both technicians said that they got "good pictures", now I hope that Dr. Harker can get the results for my appointment with him tomorrow. Hearing the "game plan" will be frightening, but I am ready to get on with whatever needs to be done!

Thanks again for everyone's continued prayers, thoughts, and support!

First Results

Dr. Davis called this evening to let me know that it looks like the primary site of the cancer is my right lung! What a surprise!!! I will get more detailed results after the scans on Thursday and after meeting with Dr. Harker, the oncologist, on Friday. Thank you for your continued prayers for me and my family.

Love ya,
Jolene

First Presidency Devotional

Christmas Season

12-7-08

The Christmas Season is near, we will be going to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional in a few hours, so look for us!!!

Another week has passed and we still don’t know the primary source of the cancer. The surgery went well on Tuesday and I feel fine. I am thankful that all the tape is off! This week I will have a CT and MRI scan on Thursday, and then on Friday we will meet with Dr. Harker, the oncologist. Hopefully we will have an idea of what we are faced with.

We continue to feel calm and that all will go well. Thank you for the love and support that we have felt from everyone! It is amazing to be the object of so many loving prayers and thoughts! Our ward family is so supportive…meals, prayers, priesthood blessings, and thoughtful cards. What a great ward to get sick in! Thanks to everyone who joined us in fasting today! The best support that we have is all the prayers of faith that are said for me and my family!

Ron is celebrating the fact that he is done with all of his class work for this semester. He will return to teaching this week. Tomorrow he will be interviewing with Jordan District all day. Last week he had interviews with Granite District on Tuesday and Friday. Hopefully he will have the opportunity to be an administrator next year. He continues to enjoy his experiences at Bingham High School, even though he is going back on track he will continue to help with evening events at the high school.

Savanna returned to class work this past week. She is driving down to Provo on the days that she has classes. This will be her last week of classes and then the following week finals begin. The sad news is that she will have some finals on her birthday!!! Bummer! Savanna continues to feel better and is looking forward to getting her stitches out! Her social life continues… Friday she went out with Spencer, Saturday she went to Provo for an ugly sweater party with her Jerusalem friends, and today she joined her cousin Brian in attending a singles ward. Life is always fun when Savanna is around!

Marie remains busy too! This week besides school she enjoyed shopping with the YW for the sub for Santa families that the ward is sponsoring. Thursday evening she went caroling with the South Jordan Youth Council and then on Saturday morning the youth council helped out with a breakfast with Santa. She enjoyed playing in a winter league lacrosse game on Saturday. Next week she will be attending the Christmas Dance and taking the ACT!!! The busy life of a teenager!

My life is returning to a routine. I was able to return to school on Friday. Everyone was so thoughtful and supportive. I loved being serenaded by the Madrigals, their voices are so good!!! Savanna, Marie, and I also enjoyed attending the Relief Society Christmas Breakfast on Saturday. It was a delicious breakfast surrounded by the supportive sisters in the ward! I look forward to returning to school tomorrow! I continue to be grateful that I still feel fine, my neck is stiff but other than that I feel normal!

Thank you again for your continued love and support! We continue to feel the peace that is a result of your prayers for us!

Patience

Patience…no word yet in regard to the pathology report, hopefully we will get some results the beginning of next week. I am still grateful to be feeling fine (now that I am off the pain killers). The hardest part of the surgery has been removing the tape! Someone really needs to invent a tape that doesn’t hurt to remove!

I returned to school today and was surrounded by caring friends. One of the secretaries had put a sign on in my office that said, “Believe in Miracles”! During lunch some of my friends were talking about fasting and praying for me this weekend, by the end of lunch many said that they would fast and pray for me, many of these dear friends are not members of the church. It is so comforting to me to feel the support of my friends at work.

We have received meals from friends and ward members this past week, even the Elder’s quorum came by and delivered some chocolate chip cookies to us!

I know that many prayers are being said for me and my family. Thank you for your continued love and support.

Surgery Pictures

Freedom

This morning Ron took me to the doctors to have the drain tube removed!!! Yea, it wasn't uncomfortable just awkward to have a tube sticking out of my neck. I look forward to sleeping on my stomach tonight! We took pictures to remember this great event, so hopefully you don't have a weak stomach, but I do know that my brothers and sister will love them!!!

We are hoping to get the results from the pathologist by Thursday afternoon or Friday. I am feeling better, just weak and "spacey" from the surgery and medication.

Thanks again for all the thoughts and prayers!!!

Round 1

Round #1

Everything went well with the surgery. I am home with “Nurse Ron” taking care of me. I feel weak and spacey as a result of the medication that I had today. Dr. Davis felt that the surgery went well and now we are hoping that the pathologist can determine the source of the cancer.

Ron will take me to Dr. Davis’s office tomorrow to have the drain tube removed. Marie seems fascinated with the plastic tube that is coming out of my neck. She says that I should do a commercial to encourage people not to smoke! Ron was given some plastic gloves to use when he dumps the liquid from the small bulb that is connected to the tube. We continue to learn new medical procedures.

Last night our friends Judy and Kevin Hague came to visit with us. Judy was diagnosed with breast cancer 8 years ago. She recovered and was doing well until 2 years ago when she learned that she had bone cancer and was only given 1 year to live. Needless to say this family believes in miracles. Her insight into dealing with cancer was very comforting for Ron and me. She shared some great insight and information with us. Kevin also shared with us insights that he has had as the “supportive husband” during this trying time. Their positive attitude and spiritual strength is such an example to us. Ron and I are so grateful for their willingness to share with us their thoughts and lessons that they have learned. Again, we are truly blessed to have so many supportive friends and family doing all they can for us and the girls!

Thank you for your prayers and support…we continue to feel peace during this trying time.

I now look forward to getting the tube out of my neck tomorrow and a good night’s sleep tonight!

Love ya!

Another Update

Update….bottom line I am learning patience!
Once again I am waiting. The results of the PET scan show that I have multiple cancerous lymph nodes on the left side of my neck. They are small, but the lumps run from the top of my chest to just above my collar bone. The problem remains that the doctors haven’t been able to locate the source of the cancer. There is a small spot in my right lung that showed up on the scan, but it is unusual to have something show up on the right side and then have the lumps in the lymph nodes on the left side. So tomorrow I will have the large lump removed and then it will be sent to the pathologist. Hopefully the results will help determine the primary source of the cancer.
The oncologist is scheduling additional scans for the beginning of next week, an MRI and a CT. These scans will concentrate on my chest area. There is the possibility that this still may be breast cancer.
I’m still feeling fine! I am grateful for that and all the support and prayers that are being said for me and my family. I will do my best to keep you updated..
Tomorrow’s surgery is scheduled for 6:30 A.M.

Thanksgiving

11-30-08

The last day of November, yes it has been an emotional week for us!

Savanna’s surgery went well. She is up and around, but it is hard for her to sit for long periods of time. The three hours of church were hard, but she did stand during each of the meetings. Monday she is planning on going to school, so hopefully she will continue to regain her strength and feel better. Her friends have come and visited with her or called her, we are thankful for her friends that are there to support her.

Marie had an exciting night last night…she was asked to the Christmas Dance by Carl.



Marie always seems to be busy..lacrosse, school, YW, and her social life! Marie did a great job on the talk that she gave today in Sacrament Meeting.

Ron will be interviewing for administrative positions for Granite District this week. He has an interview on Tuesday for a secondary position, and then again on Friday for an elementary position. He continues to learn the “behind the scenes” facts of what goes on at the high school level. He will be at Bingham High School this week, then on Friday he goes back to his elementary school to get ready to go back on track. The kids will come on Monday and he will be back in the classroom. His classes are coming to an end for this semester; his final will be on the 18th. Ron will continue to help out at Bingham during the evening events so that he can continue to get the necessary number of hours that he needs.

We enjoyed a calm Thanksgiving at our home with grandma and grandpa Davidson joining us…

It was fun eating the “feast” in our finished basement. After the meal we enjoyed playing “Golf”, a card game with grandma and grandpa.

Savanna, Grandma, & Marie
Today it was my turn to teach the lesson. The stake president chose the talk by Elder Wirthlin, “Come What May, and Love It”. Yes, it was very appropriate for what is taking place in my life right now. I am grateful that I remained composed and was able to give the lesson that I had planned and then at the end I shared what is happening to me with the sisters in the ward. Yes, there were tears and many of these dear friends were shocked. I decided that I wanted to be the one to tell them so that there wouldn’t be any misunderstanding. I asked them to remember me and my family in their prayers and as they fast next week. Afterwards there were many words of encouragement for me and many hugs! I am grateful for the strength and the support of the sisters in my ward. The RS President insisted on bringing in a meal on Tuesday night, Ron and the girls will be grateful for this service! I told my friend Joan yesterday and told her to share the news with the ladies that are serving in the Primary with her. After our meetings Marie and I went to share the news with the Powell family. McKinley Powell is one of Marie’s best friends and her mother is serving in the YW organization. Again, I wanted to tell Sherry so that she could share the information with the YW leaders. I am thankful that Marie has such good friends and YW leaders; I know that they will be a great support to her.

I should find out more detail of what I am faced with tomorrow. Hopefully I will hear from Dr. Davis in the morning and get the results from the scan. During the afternoon Ron and I will be meeting with Dr. Harker, an oncologist with the Utah Cancer Specialists. Then on Tuesday I will have surgery performed by Dr. Davis to remove the lymph node that is causing the lump on my neck. So the “race” begins!!!

I continue to be grateful that I feel fine. I am trying to keep my life at normal as possible and continue to enjoy exercising each morning. Tomorrow I will go to school and try to get things set up so that I can miss a few days following my surgery on Tuesday.

Thank you for your support and prayers. I will try to keep you updated as we find out more details.

Love ya!

PET Scan

Well, Ron and I just got back from the PET Scan. It was a relaxing experience, but I do have a few suggestions…. First of all I got to change into a hospital gown and then sit down in a nice reclining leather chair. I was given some “red juice” that helps the technicians see what may be remaining food in my intestines and not cancer. The technician then puts a couple of warm blankets on me and gave me an IV. I was surprised at the small amount of liquid (about ½ cup) that they injected into my arm; I was expecting the drip IV bag. From that point I relaxed for about 45 minutes. The technician then returned and gave me two more cups of the “red juice”. I took a potty break and then went for the scanner ride! The scanner was a tube that was about 4 feet long. I was lying on my back with my legs bent over a triangular cushion and my arms extended above my head. It would have been much more comfortable if I didn’t have to raise my arms above my head! Again I was covered with warm blankets…nice touch! The “ride” lasted for about 25 minutes. It wasn’t painful just uncomfortable because you had to remain still. I would recommend that they add music or maybe a video to watch during the “ride”. It would also be more exciting if the table that you are laying on moved faster. Maybe the technicians could check with the Disney people for some ideas on improving their “ride”. The other suggestion would be that after you are done they should treat you and your spouse to a nice lunch since you haven’t eaten anything since last night. After lunch the doctor could meet with you and give you the results…..but no!!! We won’t find out any results until tomorrow or Wednesday, so it may be another waiting game. I still feel fine, in fact I think that I will go workout before we go see Twilight. We have tickets for the 4:20 movie this afternoon.

Thanks again for all the thoughts, phone calls, emails, and prayers. I am so grateful for your support for us at this time.

Night of the Stars

Trials

11-23-08

What a week!!!

Ron continues to learn and enjoy his administrative duties at Bingham High School. This week he was able to attend the state championship football game and “Hello Dolly” as an administrator! High School life is busy!

Savanna continues to stay busy with teaching 6th graders at Jordan Ridge Elementary. She still finds time to read and do things with her friends.

Marie had a hard week….her high school team lost the championship game in the last minute of the game, and then BYU had an awful day against Utah yesterday! Marie remains true blue, Bingham and BYU…Wednesday night we attended a Young Women’s in Excellence Program. The leaders did a great job and every girl was a “Star”! They looked great dressed in their formals!

My week has been memorable!!! Shocking!!! On Friday I learned that I have adenocarcinoma, yes cancer. Tomorrow I will have a PET scan to determine the exact type of cancer that I have, but I think that it is probably breast cancer. Ron and I both feel calm and that things will work out as we tackle this new challenge in our lives. The hardest part has been telling people. I feel just fine and haven’t had any problems so it is hard to really comprehend that I have cancer.

On Oct. 25th I noticed a lump on the side of my neck just above my collar bone. I was going to go and get it checked, but since it wasn’t painful I just put it off. About a week after that I started feeling sick. I had a head cold, one that I probably picked up at school. It was getting hard to sleep because I was so congested so I went to an Instacare on Friday, Nov. 14th to get a prescription to help me feel better. The physician noticed the lump and referred me to a specialist to have it looked at. On a scale of a 1-10 he felt it was a 3 and nothing to get very concerned about, but that I should have it examined. He referred me to Dr. Davis who I saw last week on Wednesday after school. I am impressed with this doctor; he examined my neck, nose, and throat and then said that he was concerned about the lump too. He recommended that we do a procedure called a needle biopsy. It didn’t hurt at all, but the needle was huge!!! It was hard to look the other way since he was taking the fluid out of the lump on my neck. After the procedure I did fell faint…..Dr. Davis was going to do his best to get the results by Thursday and then let me know. Thursday afternoon he called to let me know that the results weren’t back yet, but he wanted to me to come and see him Friday to determine what procedure we should take in regard to removing the lump. My anxiety level went up after I got the phone call! Friday morning I went in and he very calmly told me that the results weren’t good and that I have adenocarcinoma. This type of cancer is found in glands of either the lungs, intestines, or breast. Since I haven’t had any problems with coughing or digestion I feel that it probably breast cancer. So tomorrow Ron will go with me for the PET scan where we will find what the future holds for us!

Like I said I haven’t felt sick at all….in fact I am calm. The only problem is that I break down when I tell people and see their concern and love for me. Ron and I haven’t told anyone except the Bishop in our ward, the girls, and some close friends at school. I will probably tell people in our ward next week when I have a better idea of what I am faced with.

Ron and I have always wondered what big trials we would be faced with…well this may be one of them. I am going to stay positive and do my best to tackle this. I appreciate the love, concern, and prayers of those who I have told. It really makes me thankful for the loving and supportive family and friends that I have been blessed with. I will do my best to keep each of you informed with what is taking place. I would appreciate your love and prayers not only for me but for Ron, the girls, and the medical staff that will be helping us through this event.

At this time of Thanksgiving I truly am grateful for the many blessings that I have, especially the gospel.

Love,
Jolene

Bingham Ball

The Big Game!!!!

11-16-08

The stage is set for the BYU vs. Utah football game that will take place on Saturday!!! It should be an exciting game….so much is on the line! Friday night will be the state football championship game between Bingham and Alta…another high-stakes football game. I hope that both of these games have close scores, no one gets injured, and that everyone plays their best! May the best teams win!

Ron has spent his first week getting hours at Bingham High School. High School is a different environment than elementary school. The administration is considered the “enemy” , and the pace of the day is very different. Ron is learning the ropes and enjoyed being the on-site administrator on Thursday during the play-off football game. Saturday evening he went to Bingham Ball as an administrator and experienced a high school dance again. The time flies and he is amazed at how busy high schools are!

My week started on a bad note, I was sick on Monday. I finally went to the doctor and started taking a prescription that has helped me feel much better. I have a lump on my neck that I need to go and have checked this week. The lump seems to be going down, so I think that it is a swollen gland that is related to my head cold, but I will have it checked to make sure. Tuesday was the lacrosse parent meeting, since I am one of the presidents on the parent board I presented a PowerPoint explaining the structure of the organization. The library at the high school was full; I was surprised how many girls are signing up to play lacrosse for this coming season. The meeting went well and I am relieved that it is over! Friday I attended a copyright workshop and brushed up on copyright law in the educational field. It was a good workshop and I enjoyed “networking” with other librarians from the area. I was glad that BYU won their football game against Air Force…it was an exciting game! On Saturday I cheered on Marie at her first winter league lacrosse game. She has a great team and I look forward to watching those games these next few Saturdays.

Savanna remains busy with school. On Saturday she took the elementary teaching praxis test at BYU. She should get her results in a few weeks. Friday night was a stake activity, the LD Singers from Snow College performed. Spencer and Spencer came up from Provo and joined our family for the event. It included a great box lunch for dinner and then the show.

Marie had the busiest week with school, lacrosse meeting, the football semifinal game(Bingham vs. Skyline), winter league lacrosse game, and Bingham Ball. She really was running from one event to the next! Marie did great at the lacrosse game and scored a goal! Half the game she played defense and the other half she played offense. Savanna was able to help Marie with her hair and makeup for the dance. She had a great time going with CJ and the rest of the people in her group. They had a great dinner downtown, went to the dance, and then back to the Powell’s home for games and fondue. Marie looked great in her dress. She has some great friends!!!

Enjoy!

Football Playoffs

11-9-08

The garbage can is full of leaves, but there are still many leaves on the ground that need to be added….yes, it is fall in South Jordan! The weather the past week varied from rain to snow! I enjoyed the clear view of the snow covered mountains on Thursday after the snowstorm that lasted all day on Wednesday.

The past week was a busy one for us…

Ron is now off-track but tomorrow he will start putting in hours at Bingham High School, just in time to enjoy the excitement of high school football playoffs! Bingham won their game on Friday and will now face Skyline in the semifinals on Thursday at the University of Utah. The Utes also won a close football game on Thursday night defeating TCU in the final minutes… Ron was excited to be a “Utah Man”! He is looking forward to his time at the high school, but he wishes that he was enjoying some vacation time, just a few more months then he will be finished! Ron had parent-teacher conferences on Wednesday and Thursday night last week. Then on Friday he had an interview for an administrative position at Granite School District.

Savanna continues to enjoy her experience at Jordan Ridge Elementary. She likes working with the 6th grade kids! She went to Provo today to attend church with her friends. I’m sure that she is missing the excitement of living in Provo!

Marie’s life is the busiest right now…school, South Jordan Youth Council, lacrosse, and social events fill her schedule. She cheered on the Bingham Miners in their win over Jordan High on Friday, and then spent time with friends after the game. Saturday morning she was involved with a service project for the SJ Youth Council, then that afternoon she helped with a lacrosse clinic for coaches. This week she is looking forward to the playoff game on Thursday and then Bingham Ball on Saturday. Fun times!

My week was less hectic, I had a lacrosse parent meeting on Monday and then I attended a lacrosse meeting for parent reps on Saturday. Tuesday I noticed that I had a large screw in one of my tires, so I carefully drove to the Big O tires by my home to have it fixed….the screw was on the edge of the tire so the tire had to be replaced….Thanks to Ron for taking care of this for me! Now I have two new tires on the front of my car, just in time for the big snow storm that hit on Wednesday! Thank goodness that I didn’t have trouble during the snow storm! I have been battling a head cold this past week…taking decongestants help me make it through the day.

The presidential election is now over! Yea, I was getting tired of all the ads! President Obama and his family will now face the challenges of relocating to the White House. Hopefully the transition will go smoothly for everyone. It will be interesting to see how things will change in the country now. I was grateful to hear that proposition 8 passed in California and that similar propositions were passed in Arizona and Florida. The protesting has started against the church with protests at the LA Temple and the SLC temple. I hope that these protests will help to unite the Christian churches that also supported the passage of these issues. We are living in the last days!

Have a good week…

Cousin's Day-Rock Climbing

Marie #36

November

11-2-08

The ground is covered with colorful leaves because of last night’s storm. There is a chill in the air and we are wearing warm clothes…Fall is finally here! Luckily it was warm on Halloween and yesterday for Marie’s lacrosse games!

Another busy week….

Ron continues to spend his extra time working on homework, just a few more weeks and he will be done with his educational law class. He enjoyed dressing up as a pirate for Halloween! Ron continues to cheer for his “Utes”, luckily they won their football game last night and continue to have an undefeated season!

Savanna is enjoying 6th grade at Jordan Ridge again! She had a busy week with school and moving everything back home. Saturday she had a “Cousin’s Day” and enjoyed rock climbing with the boys! Thursday evening she invited Marie and her friend to join her for a pumpkin carving activity with her BYU friends…Life is never dull when Savanna is around.

Marie finished working at the produce stand…she also finished her first quarter of junior year! She is looking forward to having more time to devote to school, lacrosse, and socializing!!! For Halloween she went with her friends and collected donations for UNICEF, and then on Saturday her Mamaci lacrosse team scrimmaged against BYU and Westminster College. We enjoyed cheering for Marie and being outside in the beautiful fall weather. Her team did great against Westminster, they won 14-3, but against BYU they only scored 1 point….the BYU team was amazing to watch!!! It was a great learning experience on defending and passing! Marie is also looking forward to Bingham Ball, the next formal dance that will take place in a couple of weeks! Saturday night Marie and I went and saw High School Musical 3 while Ron worked on homework. It was a fun weekend.

My week was busy too…the end of the term brings the stress of getting the grades uploaded and report cards printed off. I will get that done the beginning of next week. I am sewing Marie’s dress for Bingham Ball. Thanks to the help from my “sewing friends”, hopefully the dress will turn out well. Another sigh of relief , BYU won their football game in the final seconds….too close for me! Hopefully they will win their next game by more than 3 or 4 points! I did enjoy HSM3 with Marie…the music is lots of fun, and we enjoy seeing familiar sites when the movie is filmed in SLC.

Have a good week….dress warmer!

Weekly Highlights

GO BYU!!!

10-26-08

We continue to enjoy the fall season and the warm weather! Marie is grateful that it hasn’t been too cold at the “Pumpkin Patch”.

It was a busy week…

Ron had a midterm and a presentation for his University class, so he was relieved when that was over. He enjoyed attending the BYU vs. UNLV game on Saturday with his dad. Thanks to Jim and Jon for the extra tickets!!! Ron remains a loyal Ute fan, but he will cheer for BYU when they aren’t playing Utah! He helped Brian out with the compressor on his car, but he didn’t realize that the project would last until the wee hours of the morning! Ron and Brian were successful in getting everything fixed on Brian’s car!!!! It was nice visiting with Brian and hearing what is going on in his life!

My week was busy with school, a lacrosse meeting, and enrichment night. I also enjoyed the warm fall weather on Saturday at the BYU football game. It was an exciting game with each team scoring numerous times, too bad neither defense showed up. Luckily for BYU the defense came up with two big defensive plays in the last few seconds so that BYU could win the game..42-35!!! Ron is convinced that Utah will win the rivalry game this year, and he is trying to convince everyone else to cheer for the Utes, his biggest opponent at this time is Tanner, Jon’s son! Tanner is proving to be the ultimate BYU fan!!!!

Savanna had an exciting week because she was able to vote early for her first presidential election. She also attended the midnight movie for the premier of High School Musical 3 with her friends….then on Saturday she took Danica, her cousin, to see the movie. Savanna will start teaching 6th grade for the next few weeks at Jordan Ridge Elementary. Since this school is only a couple of blocks from our house she is moving home…we are excited to have her back!

Marie continues to stay busy with school, work, and lacrosse. She was thrilled to be answered on Tuesday night by CJ…a glow in the dark “YES”! Marie dressed up at Mater for work on Saturday. The pumpkin patch was packed as families came to pick out their Halloween pumpkins. It should be an extra busy night tomorrow too…FHE at the pumpkin patch! Marie’s job ends on Friday, so she is looking forward to having some more time to devote to lacrosse and school.

We hope that everyone is doing well…

Enjoy!

Friday Night Adventures

Fall Break

10-19-08

A moment of silence…BYU lost its game on Thursday night and any chance of being a BCS bowl buster!!!! Life goes on! Utah is still in the running; they had a great game on Saturday and should move up in the polls.

The weather has been ideal this week….compared to the snow that we had last weekend. I love the crisp fall weather, especially when it is warm outside. Marie loves the warmer weather too. She didn’t have to wear thermals to work yesterday, and her lacrosse practice is much more enjoyable than when it is freezing outside.

Ron is hunting and having a good time with Lance and his sons. He left Wednesday after school and should return sometime today!

Savanna remains busy with school and work. She and Spencer stopped by on Friday night and helped to inspire Marie with a creative way of asking one of her friends to the upcoming “Bingham Ball” in November. We look forward to having Savanna move back home this coming weekend. She will be doing her next section of classroom time in the elementary school where she attended. That should be a fun experience for her.

Marie continues to stay busy with school, lacrosse, and work. She asked her friend , CJ , to the dance on Friday night. Since we enjoyed fall break on Thursday and Friday Marie worked extra hours. She gets to sleep in again tomorrow, since she gets Monday off too. There are only 2 weeks left of work for Marie so she is trying to get as many hours as possible.

My week was busy too. Wednesday night I helped out at the Skyline football game by selling tickets…he takes about 15 teachers to help run a football game! Since there were so many teachers going out of town I volunteered to help. It was fun, but it does get cold once the sun goes down and the canyon winds come down onto the football field. I enjoyed relaxing days on Thursday and Friday. I prepared my RS lesson and was able to get a few of my projects done. I also trimmed down all of my flowers and cleaned things up in the yard. I will miss having the fresh tomatoes, green peppers, and cucumbers from our garden!

We hope that everyone is enjoying life and staying out of trouble! It is hard to believe that October is now half-way over…..

Hopefully BYU will return to its winning ways and win the Mountain West Conference…it will be hard since TCU and Utah are still undefeated this season. Take care!

First Snow

10-12-08

We woke to a snow-covered world this morning….the first snow of the season. Ron covered the garden with a tarp on Friday and Saturday night so we hope that some of the tomatoes made it through the storm. It will be another cold night tonight then it will warm up and the storm will clear out. We have spent the weekend inside wearing our warm sweats…except for Marie who was working outside all day yesterday at the produce stand. Her hands were cold, but she was bundled up and stayed warm.

This week we enjoyed having Savanna stop by on Friday night. She and her friend Spencer had just come back from seeing the Body Works exhibition that was in Salt Lake. They enjoyed the exhibit of human bodies that have been “plastised”. Marie, Ron and I look forward to going to see it sometime soon. It really sounds interesting! Savanna will be moving home in a couple of weeks…it will be nice to have her home for a few weeks.

Ron has been working diligently on a huge project for his class at the U. He is trying to get much of the assignment done before he heads to the hills to hunt on Wednesday. The deer hunt will open on Saturday, so Ron will be able to enjoy Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and part of Sunday with Lance and his boys. Hopefully the weather will be better for the hunters this weekend!

Marie continues to juggle school, work, YW, and her social life. She will be working a lot this coming week since it is our fall break on Thursday, and Friday. It is now “pumpkin season” so things are busy in the pumpkin patch….Marie doesn’t get home until 8:00 P.M. each day that she works since families are coming to pick out their holiday pumpkins. Monday night seems to be the busiest.

My days continue to be busy, but at least things are more of a routine at school. I did have a workshop on Saturday morning…it is always hard for me to give up part of my weekend. I found out this week that I will be going to Vancouver, Canada for an IB workshop in February. It will be interesting to see this beautiful area, but hopefully it won’t be too cold.

It was a great weekend for our football teams…Skyline, Bingham, BYU, and Utah won. The end of November will hold much excitement if BYU and Utah continue to stay undefeated…..the rivalry will be intense this year especially since Ron considers that he is a true Ute football fan!

Enjoy your week, I think that most of the AZ group has fall break.


Click on this link to hear a news report about Schmidt's Produce, this is where Marie works....
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=4495971

Hansens Visit

Bingham High Homecoming 2008

10-5-08

The cold and rainy weather really make us realize that fall is here and winter is just around the corner. This weekend we are wearing light jackets and long pants, and the conference visitors are dressed warmly carrying umbrellas! Savanna came up to watch conference with us on Sunday, so it’s nice to be together!

Ron had a routine week at school, but on Friday he drove down to Lake Powell to pick up Linda’s boat for her. She had trouble with the bearings on the trailer a few weeks ago and was glad that Ron volunteered to rescue the boat. There was the possibility that the other bearings may not make the trip home! Ron got back home in time to go to Priesthood session.

My week was busy with a couple of late nights at school for a technology meeting and an IB parent meeting. I enjoyed being home on Saturday watching conference. It was exciting to hear about the 5 new temples, especially about the one in Rome! Thursday evening I enjoyed watching the vice-presidential debate! I was glad that Sarah did a good job, but I wonder if McCain will be able to win the presidency….the financial news this week hasn’t helped him much! Friday night I enjoyed watching the BYU football game on TV…they played against Utah State. It wasn’t their best game, but BYU did win!

Savanna remains busy with school and work at the MTC. She will be doing her last practicum classroom experience the end of October, so we are looking forward to having her home during that time! Student teaching will begin for her in January, and then she will be done with her education classes...she will be graduating in April!

Marie had the most exciting week since it was homecoming. Thursday evening was the football game and then on Friday night she went to the dance with Brian Larsen. Katherine, one of Savanna’a friends, was her “stylist” and did her hair and make-up. Marie looked great! She was with a group of 18 people and they really had a great time. They had Chinese food at one of the boy’s home before the dance and then afterwards they went to another boy’s home to watch a movie and play games. Marie’s only regret is that I didn’t take more pictures and that she didn’t take the camera with her for the evening. She was grateful for the bad weather because her Saturday morning lacrosse practice was cancelled; she was able to sleep in! Marie worked all afternoon during a steady rain. Again she was glad for the opportunity of sleeping in before conference.

Enjoy this crisp fall weather!!!!